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Meet with the antagonists together. Let
each briefly summarize their point of view, without comment or
interruption by the other party. This should be a short discussion so that
all parties are clear about the disagreement and conflicting views.
Intervene if either employee attacks the other employee. This is not
acceptable.
Ask each participant to describe specific actions they’d like to see the
other party take that would resolve the differences. Three or four
suggestions work well. An example is, “I’d like Mary to send the report to
me by Thursday at 1 p.m. so I can complete my assignment by my due date of
Friday at noon.” A second example is, “I would like to have responsibility
for all of the business development and follow-up with that client.
If the situation needs further exploration, use a process I’ve adapted
from Stephen Covey in which you ask each participant to additionally
identify what the other employee can do more of, less of, stop and start.
All participants discuss and commit to making the changes necessary to
resolve the conflict. Commit to noticing that the other person has made a
change, no matter how small. Commit to treating each other with dignity
and respect. It is okay to have reasonable disagreements over issues and
plans; it is never okay to have personality conflicts that affect the
workplace.
Let the antagonists know that you will not choose sides, that it is
impossible for a person external to the conflict to know the truth of the
matter. You expect the individuals to resolve the conflicts proactively as
adults. If they are unwilling to do so, you will be forced to take
disciplinary action that can lead to dismissal for both parties.
Finally, assure both parties that you have every faith in their ability to
resolve their differences and get on with their successful contributions
within your shared organization. Set a time to review progress.
Actions to Avoid in Conflict Resolution
Do not avoid the conflict, hoping it will go away. Trust me. It won't.
Even if the conflict appears to have been superficially put to rest, it
will rear its ugly head whenever stress increases or a new disagreement
occurs. An unresolved conflict or interpersonal disagreement festers just
under the surface in your work environment.
Do not meet separately with people in conflict. If you allow each
individual to tell their story to you, you risk polarizing their
positions. The person in conflict has a vested interest in making himself
or herself “right” if you place yourself in the position of judge and
jury. The sole goal of the employee, in this situation, is to convince you
of the merits of their case.
Do not believe, for even a moment, the only people who are affected by the
conflict are the participants. Everyone in your office and every employee
with whom the conflicting employees interact, is affected by the stress.
People feel as if they are walking on egg shells in the presence of the
antagonists. This contributes to the creation of a hostile work
environment for other employees. In worst case scenarios, your
organization members take sides and your organization is divided.
Author: By Rabia Dhody
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Writer
Profile
Rabia Dhody
Human Resource Manager with a Leading
Indian Corporation
rabiadhody@rediffmail.com
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